That’s the day that guys signed to free agent contracts this summer become eligible for trades. So those guys your team signed this summer that seemed smart then but look like a disaster now can be shipped out — if you can find a taker.

We thought Darko Milicic and Richard Jefferson would be on that list. We were wrong.

Jermaine O’Neal, Celtics: Shaq is working out well, Kendrick Perkins will be back, Glen Davis is your backup four now… so Jermaine becomes expendable for the right deal.

Brendan Haywood, Mavericks: Tyson Chandler (along with young developing centers in the pipeline) make him expendable — if you can find a sucker for that six-year, $55 million deal Dallas gave him. Haywood is not a bad option for a team that needs a big, but that is a steep price tag.

Theo Ratliff, Lakers: Winderman said it best: “Well, what do you know, the Lakers signed an injury-plagued, aging center and he turns out to be injury plagued and old?”
.Eddie House, Heat: He is sliding down the depth chart and may be available.

Tracy McGrady, Pistons: He’s played okay, but if the Pistons decide to blow it up and trade Tayshaun Prince and/or Rip Hamilton, McGrady could get moved, too.
.Randy Foye, Clippers: Winderman again: “With the emergence of Eric Bledsoe and the return of Baron Davis, there is not much need. The question is whether interest remains elsewhere in the league.”

Anthony Carter, Nuggets: Not a guy getting a lot of run in Denver, but it comes down to if the Nuggets decide to trade Chauncey Billups if they move Carmelo Anthony. There probably is value for Carter out there.

Joe Smith, Nets: Winderman: “From opening-night starter, the veteran forward has gone to afterthought. The Nets do not need him, but a playoff contender just might find some value there as injury protection.”

Guys Winderman throws on the “maybe to be moved list” are: Joel Anthony of Miami, Drew Gooden of the Bucks and Mike Miller of the Heat. Kind of hard to see the last one, even with the emergence of James Jones.

Why the f*** did Boston sign Jermaine O’Neal when he played like absolute garbage against them in the playoffs? He has always thought of himself as a premiere center in the league but doesn’t have the fight to prove it. Shaq should be getting that MLE money.

I thought the Celtics were crazy to take Jermaine for the same reason, but they would be crazy to trade him at this point. Shaq is not going to be healthy all the time. Neither is Jermaine. Together, they add up to less than one healthy player. That leaves them with Perkins — who will not get up to speed until next year, and isn’t coming back anytime soon, and has a history of shoulder injuries too — and Big Baby, who is way to small to start against Orlando or L.A. So they need both O’Neals for insurance. No doubt Shaq deserves more money, but it is what it is.

Rip Hamilton should be on this list above McGrady. Detroit has too many guards and he’s a good bargaining chip. Chicago should show interest since shooting guard is the only weakness in their rotation. The Bulls might win a couple titles with an upgrade at SG.